Change of heart
by andree campbell
Summary: House's sedan crashing into Cuddy's home initiated the moment when everything went terribly wrong. Can their paths ever converge again? What would it take? This story is what the show's writers should have written. Or something like this.


Cuddy sat stunned on her steps down the sidewalk from her home, it had been hours since House had crashed his shitty sedan into her front dining room. The thin blanket supplied by the ambulance felt scratchy but Cuddy didn't pay much attention. The blue and red lights twirling against her home and that of her neighbors' house fronts dazed her focus.

House had run a car at what seemed like warp speed into her home. He could have killed her, he could have killed Julia, her sister. Hell, he could have killed Rachel had it not been for Rachel visiting her grandmother Arlene.

Cuddy had never felt such deep, dark, disappointment before. This was a man she had respected, loved. Now, she loathed his very existence. What had been genius with small faults was only devious and jealous. Cuddy no longer loved House. In fact, she hated him, and feared his instability. It hurt and it awed her.

"Dr. Cuddy?" The young policeman in front of her tried to gather her attention. "Dr. Cuddy?"

"Yes?" Cuddy answered robotically.

"You're certain it was Gregory House who drove the car?"

Cuddy glanced over at Dr. James Wilson who's arm was being bandaged from the fall of diving out of House's path to her diningroom. Cuddy's stomach lurched.

"I'm 100% certain," Cuddy replied. "House did this."

The young policeman grimaced as he noted her comment. "No doubt what you saw? 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Cuddy demanded. "That sonofabitch drove his goddamn car into my house and then handed me a hairbrush! You think I'm confused?"

The policeman backed off physically. "No, not at all. I'm just confirming what you said earlier."

"Then you'll arrest his ass if he shows up here again, right?" Cuddy seethed.

"Yes, ma'am. We won't let him come anywhere near you." The officer replied quickly.

"Good. Now leave me alone." Cuddy stated flatly. The young officer backed off and walked away from the agitated woman.

Cuddy felt the tear sliding down her cheeks. She had no idea why she was crying but couldn't help herself.

"Fuck!" Cuddy whispered to herself.

"I know how you feel," James Wilson said from a few feet away. Cuddy's head jerked in his direction as she quickly wiped her tears away.

"What?" Cuddy stalled.

"I feel the same way," James Wilson said softly. "I never thought House would do something so…."

"Mean? Stupid? Evil?" Cuddy interjected.

"He's not evil, Lisa. He's just fucked up." Wilson admitted.

"Right. Fucked up. He destroys my house, nearly kills me, and breaks your arm and you diagnose this as he's fucked up?" Cuddy could feel her voice getting louder as she continued on.

"Hold on," Wilson tried to gesture but Cuddy ignored him.

"I never thought he was homicidal but this is too much, James. He's out of my life. Thank god he fucked up this much. I never thought I could hate a man so much in my entire life but I do. I hate his goddamn guts and he better stay the hell away from me or I'll have his ass thrown in jail!" Cuddy was livid yet exhausted. James knew better than to argue.

"Lisa, calm down. I'm on your side!" Wilson gestured to his broken wrist resting in a sling. "He crossed the line, hell, he crossed the goddamn grand canyon this time. I don't want to deal with this shit anymore than you do," Wilsons anger got the best of him. "Fuck House and _fuck_ his goddamn reasons. I'm tired of his ridiculous shit just as much as you are!" James Wilson meant every word.

Cuddy closed her eyes but stiffened at Wilson's diatribe. House had finally broken off the last two relationships that maintained any sanity he might have had with the rest of the world. Both Wilson and Cuddy had had enough and wanted nothing to do with the disturbed "genius."

"I never thought I could hate him, really hate him," Cuddy said more to herself than to Wilson.

"He damn near killed you!" Wilson replied.

"I never thought he would do something like this," Cuddy shuddered. Wilson couldn't help but cringe inside. He quickly sat down next to Cuddy and draped an arm around her tight shoulders.

"He didn't realize what he was doing, Lisa." Wilson tried to comfort her. "He just couldn't stand the thought of you moving on without him. He's stuck. He needs you and he can't handle life without you."

Cuddy's head dropped forward into her shaking hands. "I don't care anymore, James. House is dead to me. Do you understand?"

Wilson knew she meant it. "I understand. I don't blame you one bit, Lisa."

"James, god help you if he calls you and asks about me. Tell him to go to hell."

Wilson nodded quietly. "You're right. He's gone too far."

"I don't give a damn anymore. I don't want that son of a bitch bastard in my life. I'm just so sick and tired of him. I don't want him anywhere near me. I'll …I'll …go far away where he can't find me. I just can't be …"

"Ssssh." Wilson tried to comfort Cuddy. "Forget him. He's disturbed in so many ways. You don't owe him anything. If anything, he owes you. This…this is unforgiveable. He wasn't high on vicodin. He was just….brooding about the break up when I came over earlier. Screw his stupid issues. He doesn't deserve you. You've been far too tolerant. What the hell did you ever see in him?" Wilson asked.

Cuddy glanced at her best friend with watery yet sarcastic eyes. "I thought I knew, but now, I can't be certain it was ever real."

Wilson nodded. Cuddy paused.

"You know, I honestly thought he loved me," Cuddy said hesitantly.

"I know he did."

"Then how could he try to hurt me?" Cuddy asked genuinely.

"I don't know that he was trying to hurt you, Cuddy." Wilson said softly. "House can't handle reality. We both know that. He can't stand a life without you….

"Don't you dare defend him," Cuddy exploded. "I'm so tired of it always being about him and his goddamn issues. Screw him. I don't need this bullshit. I don't need him. He's too goddamn fucked up for _anyone_ to love." Cuddy was incensed. "And that's just how he wants it!"

"He's a mess. He's afraid of depending on anyone. That's why he goes out of his way to screw up everything." Wilson added. He knew better than to contradict Cuddy, especially when she was right.

Cuddy sighed deeply. "House can go to hell for all I care."

Wilson knew better. No matter what, Cuddy and House were tied at their inner most core

"I …" Cuddy began to cry.

Wilson rubbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He felt the sadness, the disappointment, the hurt that House had caused her. Had House plainly snapped, was he homicidal or just bat-shit crazy? Wilson didn't know and in that minute, didn't care. House was out of _his_ life, too and it felt right.

"I know," Wilson said softly. He kissed Cuddy's hair above her left ear. "Don't think about it anymore. You need to do what's best for you, Lisa…and for Rachel. You gave him every chance and he screwed up every chance he got. Put yourself first, for a change. Okay?"

Cuddy nodded without looking at Wilson. The policeman had returned and interrupted the moment asking Cuddy to accompany him to his vehicle to file a police report and a restraining order.

"Go ahead," Wilson encouraged her. "Don't worry about it. You're doing the right thing, Lisa." Wilson said encouragingly.

Cuddy stared into Wilson's big brown eyes and searched his expression for false hope. There was none. Wilson meant what he said. Cuddy felt the tears streaming down her face.

"Thanks, James." Cuddy whispered. "The same to you. Don't let him sneak back into your life either." 

Wilson grinned. "As if!" Cuddy couldn't grin. She turned and walked to the police squad car with the burly officer to finish the report and file the restraining order.

It was 9 am when the doorbell began to ring incessantly.

Cuddy rustled out of bed and quickly stumbled out the door to her hallway careful to shut her bedroom door to prevent her sleeping daughter from waking.

"Hold on!" Cuddy said semi loudly as she attempted to descend the stairs.

"I got this, go back to bed, Lisa!" Julia yelled up the stairs.

Lisa Cuddy stopped short midway down the stairs at the sight of her sister Julia answering the door.

"Go back to bed!" Julia repeated. "You're gonna fall!" Cuddy stopped and her head began to swim as she eyed the stairs down into her foyer.

Her sister was right. Cuddy realized the sleeping meds she took last night hadn't worn off completely and she felt dizzy. "You sure?" Cuddy asked.

Julia ignored her sister and raced to the door to intercept any further doorbell ringing that might wake her little niece, Rachel. "Yes?" Julia answered breathlessly at the sight of the older policeman.

"Is Lisa Cuddy here?" Officer Jamison asked officially.

"She's asleep," Julia said dutifully.

"I'm here," Cuddy said out of the policeman's sight. Julia's cheeks reddened.

"Guess she woke up, after all," Julia said briskly before spinning on her heel and departing from the doorway. Cuddy trudged over in her babydoll pajamas unaware she had forgotten her robe. The sound of a small child's wailing from upstairs momentarily upset Cuddy's momentum.

"I got her, Lise," Julia said as she headed for the stairs.

Cuddy sighed and turned to the face of the officer who was busy taking in the sight of the attractive woman before him. Her thin pajamas barely hid her physical assets.

Cuddy momentarily did not comprehend the officer's preoccupied face. Officer Jamison was enjoying the "view."

"Yes, Ma'am. Uh…Ms. Lisa Cuddy?" Officer Jamison managed to utter as he glanced back to his note pad. It took a second or two before she realized the situation and quickly tucked her body behind the front door.

"Sorry, Officer, I just woke up." Cuddy said with a blush.

"No problem, Ms. Cuddy." The officer pushed his cap upward and smiled sweetly. He was slightly older than Cuddy and suddenly quite pleased to be on the case.

"Would you excuse me a moment?" Cuddy asked without waiting. "I'll be right back." She quickly shut the door without waiting for Officer Jamison's response and dashed up the stair hell-bent on getting her grey robe. _What__the__hell__was__I__thinking__answering__the__door__like__this_, Cuddy asked herself.

Rachel was still slumbering between the pillows as Cuddy entered her bedroom. Julia was stroking the child's hair working to keep her asleep.

"What's going on?" Julia whispered.

"I need my robe," Cuddy whispered back. "I gotta talk to the police guy downstairs."

"Whatever you do, don't you _dare_ let House out of that restraining order," Julia said with all seriousness. Cuddy nodded agreement and raced back down the stairs.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," Cuddy said as she opened the door to the officer outside. He and his partner, a younger African American policeman entered her home and followed her to the living-room.

"Can I get you some coffee?" Cuddy offered. Both policeman quickly agreed and thanked her. "Why don't you come with me to the kitchen, then?" Cuddy invited. Both officers followed her and couldn't help but stare at the damaged dining room on their way to the kitchen.

"Did your ex-boyfriend do this?" The second officer asked.

"Yes," Cuddy admitted in a clipped voice.

"Why?" Officer Jamison asked.

"Uhm…to return my hairbrush, I think," Cuddy said quickly. The two officers glanced at each other knowingly.

Cuddy gestured to the small table and three chairs in her kitchen as she busied herself locating the coffee grounds and emptying the previous day's grounds from the coffee machine.

"Uh,…ma'am. It's been my experience that ex-boyfriends that react like this… are seldom ready to end the relationship," Officer Sheldon piped up. Cuddy glanced at him.

"Well, it _is_over," Cuddy stated. "I don't care what Gregory House thinks or wants. This relationship IS over." Cuddy's coldness caught their attention.

"What would make him react like this?" Officer Sheldon asked calmly.

"We broke up a while ago," Cuddy replied.

"Was there anything unusual about yesterday?" Officer Jamison asked as he opened his notebook and flipped to a new page.

Cuddy paused. "I…had my sister and brother-in-law over for dinner yesterday…"

"Anyone else?" Officer Sheldon prompted.

"Yes. My sister invited a blind date over to join us…." Cuddy said slowly.

"And your assailant, this Dr. Gregory House, saw this?" Officer Sheldon added.

"I don't know. I would suppose he did, " Cuddy replied. "But that doesn't give him the right to…"

"Exactly!" Officer Jamison chimed in. "Dr. House had no right…." 

"Stop calling him Dr. House!" Cuddy exploded. "He is a goddamn criminal! He could have killed me, my sister…."

Officer Jamison reacted quickly. "No, of course. You're completely right, Dr. Cuddy. We'll find him and arrest him just as soon as we get a hit on his location."

Cuddy seemed to deflate a little. "Just don't let him come near me," Cuddy said with a shudder.

Both officers nodded in agreement as Cuddy handed them a cup of fresh Columbian coffee. "Sugar? Milk?" She asked softly.

Sargeant Lakiski listened intently to his two officers. The Cuddy-House case was not going to be an easy one. Domestic violence cases seldom were. House had obviously fled the country as his passport was missing from his apartment. This was good news as far as the sergeant was concerned. That meant Lisa Cuddy was momentarily safe from further harm, still Lakiski needed officers onsite to monitor her home until the missing wall was reconstructed, until then, Cuddy's home was open and vulnerable to the public. Lakiski dialed his phone.

"What do you want now?" The husky voice said playfully. Lakiski smiled. He liked his ex-brother-in-law, Jack Mason, better than he liked his own sister who had divorced Jack after cheating on him.

"Got a job for ya."

"Nice." Jack sounded at once grateful and pleasant.

"There's this vict-, uh, lady who's house was wrecked in a car accident..and uh, well, she needs to get it fixed. So I thought why not give my former bro-in-law a chance to help her out and make a few bucks."

Jack smiled to himself. Brian Lakiski was a good person, way better than Brian's sister.

Lakiski grinned. "There's this lady, uh…Dr. Lisa Cuddy ….her ex drove his car into her house in a jealous rage. He's pretty much demolished the front and its wide open so she needs to get it fixed before thugs invade the place, steal her stuff and possibly hurt her in the process." This got Jack's attention.

"That's not good, dude." Jack replied.

"Could you call her today? She and her kid are sleeping in the place and I don't think she's very safe there."

"Yeah, I can come out there if you think I need to. Tomorrow good?" 

"Today would be better," Brian insisted. Jack glanced at his computer screen.

"Hang on, let me check and see if I can …." Jack tapped his keyboard and it appeared his team was full up. "My guys are speck-ing a couple of jobs but I can come out myself if its that important."

"It is. I feel bad for her. A couple of my officers got her report today and it sounds like her ex is a real weirdo – some kind of drug addict who went all homicidal on her. I understand she's rather good looking, for what that's worth."

"You don't have to sweeten the deal, Brian. I'll be there around 5pm, okay?" Jack chided him. "What's the address?"

"Hello, Dr. Cuddy?" The man's voice boomed over her cell phone. "This is Sargent Lakiski, you met my officers today? Listen, from what they've uncovered, I feel I must tell you I'm concerned you and your daughter are staying in your home with all the damage – staying there leaves you both vulnerable to anyone who is thinking of robbing you." Cuddy fidgeted as she listened closely. "I don't think you're safe in that house until it's been repaired…."

"I know," Cuddy tried to interject.

"So I've set up a patrol unit to stay outside your home tonight to insure no one breaks in," Lakiski finished.

Cuddy was a bit surprised. She stopped packing her small suitcase with Rachel's clothes. "Officer Lakiski, thank you so much. I really appreciate this. I'll try to get the damage repaired as soon…."

Officer Lakiski cut her off. "Hope you won't mind but I called a contractor and asked him to give you a call right away about fixing your …house."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I highly recommend Jack Mason. I spoke to him earlier and asked him to work you in as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Sargeant," Cuddy was a bit stunned.

"Um, full-disclosure, Doctor. Jack's a former family member. Just thought you should know in case you have someone else in mind for the job," Lakiski added a little sheepishly.

"Well…thank you for disclosing that. I really don't have the first idea who to call so I guess you did me a favor," Cuddy said softly. "I appreciate this, truly."

"It's no problem, really," Lakiski countered. "Sounds like you could use a break."

"As a matter of fact, I could. Thank you, again," Cuddy said before hanging up. She glanced at the half-packed suitcase on her bed. It could wait.

Forty minutes later her doorbell rang.

"Ms. Cuddy? I'm Jack Mason, Sargeant Lakiski referred me? I'm here about the repair to your home." Jack said pensively. Cuddy was pleasantly surprised to see the builder had actually shown up so soon.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Mr. Mason," Cuddy extended her hand and they shook hands rather formally. Mason mentally made a note to let Brian know his officers were right. This Cuddy was hot….and devastated.

Mason waited for her to invite him in. Cuddy step aside and gestured him to enter. "Uhm, it's actually Dr. Cuddy." Mason took quick notice of her left hand and saw it was bare of any wedding ring.

"Ph.D or medical?" Mason asked with a slight smile.

"Medical" Cuddy said as she closed the door before staring at him."

"So what xactly haappened here?" Jack gestured to the mangled dining room.

"I thought Sargeant Lakiski would have mentioned it." Cuddy appeared tense. She clearly did not want to discuss her ex-boyfriend destroying her home.

"Uh, he mentioned something about a car?" Mason stalled.

Cuddy glanced away from the builder and let her eyes sweep across the debris and damages of her dining room. "Well, as you can see, my house has a big hole in it." She sighed deeply.

"Yes, you certainly do have some extensive damage. I'll need to check the rooms upstairs to look for cracks in the support structures. Could we start upstairs?"

Cuddy nodded and led the way upstairs. Mason couldn't help but stare at the lovely hips swaying before him. This was one of the construction jobs he would personally manage.

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Two weeks later Cuddy's home was repaired and almost immediately put on the market to Jack Mason's dismay. His crew had just finished the job and he returned to personally inspect the final touches and make sure the homeowner was happy.

He rang the doorbell and could hear footsteps on the wooden floor behind the door. The door opened and a small little girl beamed up at him.

"Yes?" She sounded like a thirty year old.

Mason smiled at her and crouched down to her level. "Is your mommy home?"

"Yesss!" Rachel Cuddy said exuberantly before darting away "Mommmmy! There's a big man here for you!" Mason grinned at the child's words.

"Rachel, I told you not to answer the door!" Cuddy's voice trailed. "It's too dangerous. Let Mommy do that!" Rachel didn't wait to hear more and suddenly the lovely doctor appeared before Jack.

"Cute little girl." Mason said warmly.

"Thank you, Jack. Please come in." Cuddy stepped back and waited for him to enter.

"I was just stopping by to make sure the crew finished on time and to see if there were any issues with the job," Mason said as he turned to face her. Cuddy looked up at the tall man and shook her head.

"No, everything's fine. Really."

Mason fidgeted momentarily, "I noticed a 'for-sale' sign in your yard."

"Yes, my realtor put it up today. She thinks the place will sell really quickly thanks to your fine workmanship." Cuddy smiled.

Mason felt himself actually blushing. He never freakin' blushed.

"Well, thank you for that compliment. If you're happy with the job, then I'm happy."

Mason could feel his face growing hotter. "Um, now that the job is complete, I uh…wondered if …maybe you'd like to…go to dinner with me?"

"What, now?" Cuddy frowned.

"Well that would be cool but if tomorrow's better…" Mason tried not to stumble over his tongue.

"You seem like a really nice man," Cuddy began.

"I am." Mason grinned.

"It's just that I haven't had much luck with…"

"It's just dinner, Lisa." Mason said kindly. Cuddy looked a bit embarrassed. "Your daughter is certainly welcomed to join us," Mason prompted.

Cuddy glanced at her daughter playing in the living room on the floor. She knew he was waiting for an answer.

"Tomorrow?" Cuddy hedged.

"Tomorrow would be great," Mason said quickly. "How's 6:30? Guess the little one would prefer to eat earlier than later?"

Cuddy nodded shyly. _What_ am I doing? She asked herself. A sudden feeling of worry filled her chest. Cuddy glanced over to her newly remodeled dining room and could feel her temper soar. Screw House. She shouldn't have to worry how he'd react. She needn't have worried. A rested and well-tanned House was apprehended earlier that day after landing in Trenton. The trip to the tropics had allowed him to face facts and return to his just punishment. He would have likely drove his car through her house once more had he known what was going through Jack Mason's mind at that precise moment.

"Ok," Cuddy agreed. "6:30 it is."

"Great!" Mason was excited. Lisa Cuddy was going to get the full on gentleman's treatment. Having gotten to know her a bit on the job, Jack Mason had developed quite a crush. Each evening he searched the internet and found news of the accident on her house and in doing so, read up on her ex-boyfriend. Profiles of Dr. House, his work, his brilliance and his not so nice reputation irritated the contractor. If nothing else, Jack Mason was going to make sure Lisa Cuddy enjoyed herself. He preferred seeing the beautiful smile that lit up her face over her sad countenance when she thought no one was looking.

**Dear Huddy fans, don't get too worried. This wounded Cuddy deserves a little TLC. Meanwhile, lets check on House in the big House…next chapter. Reviews make me update so much faster. **


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